The time tracker without the forgotten timer
Timer apps only know what you tell them, and only when you remember. Temporal.ist starts and stops with your work, so the hours you forgot to track are tracked anyway.
Thursday
Your day so far
tracked
- Website relaunchNavigation and footer, 08:42–10:58(Files, desktop app)
- Website relaunchDesign review in Figma, 10:58–11:21(Browser, extension)
- Payments APIRefund webhooks, 11:30–12:34(Files, desktop app)
- Onboarding flowKickoff call, 13:30–14:15(Timer, manual)
- Website relaunchCheckout page, 14:25–16:40(Files, desktop app, with a 15 minute pause)
- Payments APICode review on GitHub, 16:50–now(Browser, extension)
A timer app next to Temporal.ist
| Aspect | Temporal.ist | A typical timer app |
|---|---|---|
| Starting | Your first save, or opening a matching page, starts the session | You press start |
| Forgetting | Sessions end at your last activity plus the idle allowance, even if you walk away | A forgotten timer misses the time, or keeps running all night |
| Switching projects | Time follows the folder or website you are working in | Stop one timer, start the next |
| Calls and meetings | Start a timer, or add the time afterwards | Start a timer, or add the time afterwards |
| Short tasks | A ten-minute fix is recorded like any other work | Often too short to bother starting a timer |
| Your screen | No screenshots, keystrokes or activity scores | Depends on the app |
Switching takes ten minutes
Create your projects, give each its folders and websites, and keep your old tracker for reference until you trust the new one.
- Install the desktop app, the browser extension, or both
- Each project gets its folders on each computer and its web addresses
- Read the getting started guide
Folders
on this computer~/work/halden-siteWatching~/work/halden-site/node_modulesIgnored
Websites
in your browserhttps://github.com/halden-studio/*Rule 1*://*.figma.com/design/*Rule 2
Saving a file in the folder, or opening a page that matches a rule, starts a session on this project. It ends 15 minutes after the last save, or when the last matching tab closes.
Questions
Can I keep using timers?
Yes. Timers work in the web app, the desktop app, the browser extension and the terminal client. Use them for calls and anything that happens away from your files.
Can I import my history from another time tracker?
There is no importer. Keep your old tracker for past months, or add older entries by hand or through the API if you need them in one place.
What if automatic tracking picks the wrong project?
Move the session to the right project in the calendar or the sessions list. It usually means a folder or rule belongs to another project; fix it once and it stays right.
Let your work keep its own time
Start on the free plan: no card and no trial period. Install the desktop app or the browser extension, choose what belongs to each project, and keep working.